We lost a friend over the weekend, a dear old permanent fixture of the ward known to all as “Jake” (we never knew why, as his name was Maurice….). The strange nickname thing kind of ran in their family, his wife is known as Adelene and her name is Hildreth, his sister-in-law was called Mary but her name was Pat….. ANYWAY (how did I end up on that path again) he will be missed SO much.
I met Jake when he was young and we had just moved to the ward. He and some of the elders came over to help us stain our log home….he was hard at work in the uppermost reaches of the second story when we heard a clatter, a loud bang and a muffled scream…..everyone dropped what they were doing and ran toward the gable end of the house to find that “frail” 75 year old man dangling upside down, knee over one rung, on the underside of a ladder 20 feet in the air, stain covering him from head to foot and the bucket and brush still in one hand!…..He scared the daylights out of us but didn’t miss a beat, just got a hand down and went right back to work.
He has left quite a legacy behind ….. as long as I have known him I’ve been greeted by the same three words “Sure Love Ya”, and a bear hug….this greeting wasn’t just for the pretty girls
of the ward but anyone and everyone, young and old, male and female, healthy orinfirm, Bishop or custodian….all were the same to him and he loved us all. There wasn’t a set of missionaries who ever left our ward without learning and assimilating into their conversation those words. I’m sure by now it’s like the old Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon Game, Whenever I hear “Sure Love Ya!” I know there’s been some connection to Jake…. What better way to be remembered than for loving everyone.
FHE was tonight, AND it was my night, I spent quite a bit of time today preparing (another reason my blogging got behind) but taught a fairly good lesson (thanks to all those internet sources) on “It’s What’s Inside that Counts” ….we had cream puffs for dessert( get it?)! YUM!!!! (I usually pick the dessert I’m hungry for then find something spiritual to tie it in with…..I know….weak….but hey, it’s my system and it works for me!)
Over the years we’ve had lessons on “Types and Shadows” ….(given around Groundhog Day) with Groundhog Pudding for dessert (dirt cup with Teddy Graham “groundhog”);
“Hearts of the Children Turned to Their Fathers (geneology….duh), with brownie heart pops for dessert,
"Life can be Hard" ....you guessed it English Toffee,
"Making a House a Home" .... gingerbread houses
Anyway you get the general idea. I'm still looking for lessons to go with these wonderful recipes from my International Cookbook if you can help me out: Singin’ Hinnies, Orkney Broonies, and Kentish Huffkins (Can't wait to use that last one! REALLY....half the fun is seeing the looks on their faces when I try to "tie in the dessert" so help me out here!)
Sure Love Ya!
4 comments:
Wow! It sounds like you have better FHEs than we do. When DYM was little she always referred to it a "Family Home Eviling", but I promise it wasn't as bad as all that - REALLY.
Now that it's just my Honey and me, we have kind of given up the singing part. We usually read an Ensign article, play a game, talk for a while, spend some time in the hot tub and call it a night. Sometimes we include going out to dinner, a service project, going over our future plans and dreams or blogging on our side by side computers. Sadly, since the hips don't appear to be going away, the treats have disappeared from the agenda along with the singing.
I love your ideas about FHE! I keep worrying about what I'll do when "the teenager" leaves the nest and it's just us two old birds! I had to laugh at Family Home Eviling too!....our middle daughter used to call it Family Home Eating! (See I told you we had a main focus!)
Kentish Huffkins - first of all, what the? - and second you could do a lesson on the importance of forgiveness: "Don't Stay in a Huff"
Alright, so not fabulous, but with two under the age of three we're lucky if we get to read a whole child-size BofM story and sing a primary song. I applaude your efforts. Your FHEs song like lots of fun :)
Also on the sans children FHE ideas, there was a couple a ward I attended once that had FHE days after he retired. They set aside every Monday and spent the whole day together, trading off doing activities they each wanted to do. I can't wait to try that one out!
I forgot about the stain story! I will miss Jake too. Of course in my mind, he is still there every Sunday. Singin Hinnies - Duh! Importance of Hymns!
Post a Comment